


The History of Mr. Eames

by nuclearmse



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Backstory, Bisexual Character, Bisexual Male Character, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Dysfunctional Family, Eames-centric (Inception), F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Family, First Love, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Frottage, Kissing, Loss of Virginity, Love, M/M, Multi, Neck Kissing, Pre-Canon, Romance, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:02:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27198895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nuclearmse/pseuds/nuclearmse
Summary: Ariadne gets Eames drunk enough to finally hear the story of how Eames found his way into dreamshare, fell in lust, fell in love, and eventually encountered Arthur.
Relationships: Eames (Inception)/Original Character(s), Eames (Inception)/Original Female Character(s), Eames (Inception)/Original Male Character(s)
Kudos: 2





	1. Sexy Evil

**Author's Note:**

> I started this to explore how someone like Eames could come to be - a conman and thief who wears a veneer of nonchalant indifference but demonstrates loyalty and affection to members of the team when the chips are down. While there will be at least one appearance of Ariadne and some glimpses of Arthur, this is Eames-centered.

Eames was actually drunk, Ariadne marveled. It was her fault – she'd kept pushing the drinks on him, not letting the waitress take away partial tumblers or water the drinks down with ice. They'd been five days looking for Arthur, and she knew he was starting to despair. She naively thought the alcohol would help him fall asleep. Instead, it made him talkative. As soon as she realized his lips had been loosened and some of his protective walls were down, she had hustled him back to the hotel room. If he was going to spill secrets, she wanted to make sure no one could overhear him.

Now, he was laid out on top of the king bedspread, still fully dressed except his leather shoes. He'd had to lean heavily on her to get here from the hotel bar, yet now that he was prone, he looked as cool and casual as ever. Ariadne placed a glass of water on the coaster on his side of the bed. "Drink," she commanded, as she drained her own glass.

Eames rolled up enough to do as she ordered, draining about half the water bottle. "That's our maternal little Ariadne," he said as he laid back with his arms behind his head. "If Arthur were here, he'd be head over heels for that severe little sweater set and no-nonsense voice. Between that and the fact that you're a slender little brunette he already thinks is cute, I think you'd be his wet dream."

Ari blushed furiously as she took off the sweater set and jeans and folded them neatly. "You, Mr. Eames, are drunk. You're slurring your r's." She crawled under the covers in her bra and underwear and faced him.

"But I am a gentleman," he countered. "I did not comment on your lovely curves when you were getting into bed. Unless you would like me to."

"You've complimented my body every evening at bedtime, Eames."

He waved away her objection."I admire beauty, even if I can only look and not touch. Arthur wants you. I would not dare. We have both learned our lesson."

""We? Both?" she asked curiously.

He closed his eyes while he talked, and he recited the story like it was a ritual where he had to get all the details exactly right. "Her name was Gloria. I met her at the end of my second year at Oxford. She was a good ten years older than me and wickedly sexy." He opened his eyes to emphasize the point to Ariadne. " And evil. But sexy."

* * *

Years ago, near the University of Oxford, UK:

Eames sipped his pint and looked around the pub, then back down at his steno book. He had sketched out a reasonable outline of his paper in the last hour. "No scoldings from Maddie this time," he murmured to himself. The opportunity to spend time (and flirt) with his gorgeous writing tutor was almost worth her knowing about his dyslexia. He knew he was lucky that his biggest struggle was writing and spelling, but he didn't have to like it. He scribbled another note for his essay and tossed a few pistachios in his mouth. The scent of lavender wafted under his nose, and a woman's voice asked, "Is this seat taken?"

Eames was already shaking his head when he finally looked at the questioner and nearly choked on the nuts. She was tall, blonde, and busty, wearing a form-fitting little black dress that was more suited for a club than a pub.

He cleared his throat. It was strangely dry, maybe because all of the blood in his body was surging towards his crotch. "No."

She slithered up on the onto the stool. "I'm Gloria," she introduced herself. "Who are you, handsome?"

Eames registered that her accent was American. "William," he offered. Regaining some of his composure, he asked, "would you like a drink?"

"That would be lovely. Do they have wine in this quaint little place?"

"Not a stellar selection, but they have a few good vintages."

"Oh, you know wine?"

"My father imports wine. I'm fairly knowledgeable."

"I'll trust you to pick me something nice. Something red. Then maybe we could move to somewhere a little more cozy?" she asked coquettishly, tracing the Magdalen College emblem embroidered on his pullover.

Eames felt all remaining blood drain to his crotch. "There's a little booth in the corner there that just emptied. Why don't you grab it while I get your drink?"

Once he slid into that booth with her wine and a fresh pint for himself, Eames immediately felt Gloria's hand on his thigh. She asked him about himself, his studies, and soon, in a silky voice in his ear, if he would like to get out of here and go somewhere more private.

As soon as the hotel room door closed, Gloria was on Eames and kissing him. She was tall and strong for a woman, pressing him against the door. "You are so young and sexy," she purred. He was a little drunk, having downed his pints after Gloria showed up pretty quickly, and his head was swimming between the alcohol, her perfume, and her hands that were now unbuttoning his slacks. "You're not a virgin, are you, William? It would be okay if you were."

He managed to shake his head in between kisses. His first time had been with one of his sister's friends right before he'd left for uni, and he'd had a few other flings, with men and women, but they were nothing like this. Furtive fumbling in dormitory rooms and underneath football bleachers with fellow uni students was a world away from a hotel room with a king-size bed and a forward woman at least ten years his senior. "No, but I've never been with anyone like you." he finally said breathlessly. Before he could say anymore, she had her hand inside his boxer shorts, grasping him.

"Oh, you do not disappoint." Next thing he knew, his boxer shorts were around his ankles, and Gloria was on her knees giving him the first blow job of his life. He closed his eyes and moaned. She pulled away long enough to promise, "I am going to ruin you."

He lost track of how many times and in how many ways he and Gloria had sex that night. She knew how to touch him and what to say to wind him up and then hold him on the knife's edge, holding him in a state of excruciating ecstasy. They finally collapsed in exhaustion on the bed hours later.

* * *

"I have a confession, my Billy-boy," Gloria said the next morning as she pinned her hair up. Eames didn't love the nickname, but he was more interested in what she had to say. He had just emerged from the shower and was wrapped in nothing but a pathetic hotel towel that didn't wrap all the way around his hips. He had to hold it in place. "I came here to find you." He frowned in confusion.

"Here?"

She breezed on without acknowledging he had spoken. "I was talking about a project I need someone for, and someone told me you could be the right man. But then when I saw a photo of you, I was hoping we might be able to make this a personal as well as a professional relationship. And that was before I discovered that wicked tongue of hers." She finished with her hair, reached over, and ripped his towel off. She kissed him, pressing her body against his. "I understand you have a talent for document manipulation and replication."

Still breathless from the kiss, Eames confirmed, "you could say that." He didn't say that the whole thing had started because his father couldn't be bothered enough to look at his school reports, let alone sign off on them. Then it became a hobby and a challenge – who could he fool with his forgeries?

"How'd you like to make some extra money on your upcoming summer break? And spend more time with me?" It wasn't the money. Eames didn't have to worry about money. It was the promise of adventure and Gloria. But mostly Gloria.

"I think I'd like that." Eames whispered his desire for her spiked again. In years to come, he would kick himself repeatedly for being so easily lead by his dick.

"Fantastic." Despite having just done her hair, she backed up to the bed, pulling him along. "Why don't you show me how much you're looking forward to it?" She fell back on the bed and licked her lips.

Gloria was there for three more days, and Eames spent the better part of that time naked in her hotel room having his mind blown by his older, mysterious lover. Whenever he didn't have class, he was with Gloria. She explained that the job was in something called dreamshare and explained aspects of what was possible in dreams, sweetening the pot. By the time she left, he was completely hooked.

The night before her she had to go, she gave him a mailbox key for a postbox in London, an address in Birmingham, the documents she needed him to create and where to send them, and a phone he was not to turn on until he reached Birmingham. "Remember," she purred. "Bring nothing that ties back to the real you. I wouldn't want to affect your future if anything goes wrong. You'll meet my associates there, and they'll only know you as Benjamin Richards."


	2. Welcome to the Jungle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eames' introduction to dreamshare begins and he meets someone special.

A few weeks later, Birmingham, UK...

At precisely 8 am, Gloria stepped in front of the small group. "Excellent. Now that we're all here, let me introduce you to one another. I like my teams to have at least four people plus myself. First of all, we have our chemist, Rose. Rose has worked with me before and will be assisting with your training." She indicated a wiry woman with a dirty blonde ponytail wearing big glasses seated next to a dark-skinned, bespectacled boy who looked like a teenager. "Edward is our architect. Those roles require specific expertise. I want to train the other three of you in extraction, logistics, and forgery. Gregory, Ben, and Levi..." Eames looked to his left and saw Gregory, a dishwater blonde with shaggy hair. Then he turned to his right and Gloria's words faded in to the background. His eyes met Levi's and he forgot how to breathe. Levi was, in a word, beautiful. He had glossy dark hair, liquid brown eyes and olive skin. After a moment, Levi looked down, blushed, and gazed back at Eames through his long, dark eyelashes.

With the way that Gloria regimented the training and work, Eames concluded that she had experience as either a soldier or a prison warden. The training location seemed to be an old school. They showered in an old locker room, and slept on cots in old offices – Levi and Gregory in one, Edward in another, and Eames in a 3rd, directly adjacent to Gloria's sleeping quarters (and conveniently on the other side of the gym from the other three). Eames, particularly, was never out of her or Rose's sight. They ate bagels and fruit for breakfast, wax paper-wrapped sandwiches for lunch, and some sort of takeout for dinner. Every minute of the day was scheduled, from 6 am to 9 pm. At 9:15, Gloria expected Eames to be naked, ready, and waiting in her office/bedroom.

Over the course of the training, Eames and Levi had exchanged a hundred furtive glances and had a few inane conversations, but Gloria and Rose had managed their training and time so expertly that nothing personal could be discussed. Despite his nightly rendezvous with Gloria, Eames was going crazy. Gloria was a fantastic lover, but Levi fascinated him. He finally took a chance on the next to last day, bumping into Levi hard enough to almost knock him over, so that Eames had to help him up and had a moment to slide a piece of paper in his jacket pocket. It was a gamble, but despite Rose and Gloria splitting them up for delivery back at the the train station, he would bet that Levi was getting on a train for London, just like he was. If the meetup didn't work, he could at least surprise his mum and sister with a visit and put off going to his father's for another day.

Eames rolled the coin all the way down his fingers and back, wondering if he'd gambled correctly. He'd dropped his luggage at his mother's home before heading over to the British Library grounds. Assuming Levi was from London the way his accent indicated, he would know The Planets sculpture.

"Hi," a soft voice said from behind him.

Eames turned, and there was Levi, smiling shyly. "Hullo," Eames replied, unable to keep a smile from spreading across his face. "I'm glad you came."

"Me, too, " Levi agreed, but he stood stiffly and a little awkwardly.

"Are you hungry? I know a great little place around the corner."

"That...that sounds lovely," Levi agreed.

Looking back, Eames hadn't a clue what he and Levi discussed for the nearly three hours they spent in the little cafe. They were still dancing around their real identities, since Gloria had spent a great deal of time on the fact that their aliases were for their own protection. But Eames could admire the fullness of Levi's lips and the expressiveness of his eyes. Sometime between the entree plates being cleared and the arrival of the baklava they had agreed to share, Levi's left hand had found its way to the center of the table so that his fingertips laid within Eames' right hand. Eames found the other man's gentle shyness utterly endearing. After they bickered over which of them should pay the bill, they stepped into the cool night air.

"Walk you back to the tube?" Eames offered.

"Yes," Levi agreed, and he even slipped his arm through Eames'. A few steps from the entrance of the tube station, he stopped and faced Eames. "I'd like to see you again. Outside of the dream work."

"I'd like that, too."

They stared at each other. Levi reached up and brushed a stray lock of Eames' hair back off his forehead, and then their lips met in a sweet, brief kiss. When they parted, Levi pulled a slip of paper out of his breast pocket. "I'd written this up to give you earlier, but then you arranged to meet. This is my mobile number." He tucked it into Eames' matching pocket, kissed his cheek, and walked into the tube station.

An hour later, Eames lounged on the sofa in his mother's posh flat. The tv was on in front of him, but he ignored it as he unfurled the little slip of paper. He'd already committed the number to memory, but he loved the little ragged piece of paper.


	3. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The relationship between Eames and Levi/Jacob deepens.

Movies » Inception » **The Secret History of Eames**  
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| Author: nuclearmse |   
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| Rated: M - English - Romance/Adventure - Published: 10-19-20 - Updated: 10-22-20 | id:13724272  
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The next night, Eames bit the bullet and headed for his father's Mayfair townhouse, where he technically lived when not at university. The third "bedroom" in his mother's flat was set up as a study room. While he could sleep on the couch, he wouldn't have a bedroom to retreat to. He arrived at his father's place after sharing a lovely dinner with his Mum and sister. He was hoping his father would be out, but instead Eames found his father and the girlfriend of the week enjoying carryout in the dining room. "Well, look what the cat dragged in," his father commented loudly as Eames let himself in the front door.

"Evening, Dad," Eames replied. He nodded at the girlfriend and tried to continue to the stairs with his duffel bag and satchel.

"Aren't you going to introduce yourself to my lovely companion?" His father said pointedly.

Eames gritted his teeth before pasting a smile on his face and walking into the dining room. He walked over to the girlfriend and extended his hand. "Good evening. I am William, George's son. May I have the pleasure of your name?"

The girlfriend, probably only a few years older than Eames, giggled and took his hand. "I'm Lulu."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lulu."

Eames' father grunted, "That's better. I thought your term ended almost a month ago."

"It did." The fewer words he said to his father, the fewer his father could twist.

"So why is this the first time I've seen you? Have you been stumbling around Oxford in a drunken stupor squandering my hard-earned money for the past month?"

Eames took in a deep breath to keep his voice level. "I left you a note when I dropped off my bags at the end of the term. You were on a business trip. I had a job helping with a research project. They will need me a few more times this summer."

His father snorted. "I guess I should be grateful you finally got off your lazy ass and got a job."

Deep breath. _Don't let him get to you._ Eames faked a yawn. "Well, I'm beat," he lied. "Good night, Lulu. Good night, Dad." He kept his walk casual and unhurried until he was out of his father's hearing. He took the last flight of steps up to his attic sanctuary at a run, slamming the door behind him and locking it. Dropping his bags, Eames pressed his fist against his teeth until the urge to scream, cry, and/or throw things subsided. He reminded himself that he only had to get through this summer. After graduation, he was never living under his father's roof again.

* * *

The first time he tried to call Levi's number, there was no answer. A few minutes later, Levi called back. "I'm sorry, I can't talk now, but I'm glad you called. Will you still be up at 10:30 or so?"

"For you, yes."

"I'll ring you." True to his word, Levi called at precisely 10:30. After some pleasantries, he admitted that he was exhausted from the long day with his family. "But I wanted to talk to you, and to check if you are you doing anything this weekend? I can get away on Saturday."

"I am now, darling," Eames answered, emboldened by the happiness bubbling in his heart.

* * *

They met in Hyde Park on Saturday, near the Albert Memorial. Levi had already spread a picnic blanket on the grass and was sitting cross-legged on it, with a small array of food next to him. They beamed at one another as Eames walked up, holding two hot drink cups.

"Your tea, Earl Grey, with milk, no sugar," he declared as he handed it to him. As Eames settled onto the blanket, Levi took a sip.

"You remembered my tea preferences?"

"I did, love," Eames confirmed as he looked at the savory breakfast croissants and pain au chocolat Levi had brought. "Your selections look delicious," he commented as he leaned over, and they briefly kissed.

Eames stretched out on his left side, propping himself up with his left arm. After a moment, Levi mirrored him as they drank their teas and munched on their breakfast, laughing and chatting. Finally, nothing remained but crumbs, and Eames reached over with his thumb to gently wipe away a drop of chocolate from Levi's lip. Levi caught his hand, delicately licked the chocolate off Eames' thumb. Eames thought he was going to melt, and he prayed that no one else noticed how tight his pants had just become. "Before we go any further, I want to tell you something." Eames heart dropped a little, preparing for the worst. "My real name is Jacob. When you talk to me, I want you to call me by my real name."

Eames exhaled with relief. "Jacob," he repeated. "Jacob." He liked how the name felt in his mouth. "'Spose I can use that when I'm not calling you darling or pet. Mine's William. Will, if you like."

"It suits you," Jacob said. "William." They leaned forward for another quick kiss.

"So, Jacob," Eames emphasized the name. "What would you like to do today?"

"I didn't think further than be with you. What would you do if it were just you?"

"If I didn't sleep or read all day, I'd go to a museum. The British, or the V&A. I love art, and I love history, and I love just watching people."

"Show me."

They spent hours at the Victoria & Albert Museum, with Jacob listening intently while Eames prattled on about the art and the artists and cultures that created it. In the Cast Courts, Eames stopped short and said, "I've been babbling non-stop for almost two hours. You're probably sick of hearing me talk, love."

Jacob shook his head and squeezed Eames' hand. "On the contrary. I'm hanging onto your every word. You know so much about everything in here."

"My mum's a curator. She's at the British Museum now, but she worked here when I was in grammar school. My sister Alice and I used to run around here like it was our playground."

"That sounds fun."

Eames chuckled to himself. "I'll tell you more stories about it someday, when I'm sure the statute of limitations has run out on everything we got away with."

* * *

"I would have thought that, growing up in London, you would have visited more museums and such," Eames finally commented, as they stopped for dinner in a cozy little pub. They had snagged a corner table with a curved bench seat, which allowed them to sit close together, thighs touching. Eames was almost giddy with Jacob's closeness.

"Only ever with school. With six kids and adjusting to a new culture, my parents didn't have a lot of time or energy for outings." Jacob explained. "We came here from Israel when I was a baby. My mother got a job offer here making more than what she and my father made combined in Israel. She's adjusted far better than my father." Jacob sighed.

"Your parents are still together?"

"Thirty years next month. We're planning a big anniversary party for them. What about yours?"

Eames stared down into his pint glass. "I barely remember them being together. My Dad insisted that as the heir to the family business, I had to live with him after the divorce. Alice went with Mum. I'd like you to meet Alice and my mum." Realizing what he'd said, Eames rushed to clarify. "I mean, not right away, but, you know, at some point. I don't want you to think I'm rushing things."

Jacob grinned at him and squeezed his hand. "No worries. I'd like you to meet my sister Rachel. The rest of my family...can wait."

"As families so often can. My father is convinced that I devote extensive amounts to of time to devising new ways to disappoint him," Eames confided bitterly.

"I know how that feels," Jacob agreed sadly. "But you know what?" he whispered, forcing Eames to lean in towards him inquisitively. "He's wrong. You're handsome. And thoughtful. And smart. And sweet." Jacob punctuated the listing of each attribute with a kiss to Eames' cheek.

"And funny?" Eames suggested, blushing and teasing.

"And, oh so humble," Jacob retorted, laughing. When he stopped laughing, he smiled. "I've never met anyone like you before, William."

"I've never met anyone like you either." They leaned together, foreheads touching, oblivious to anything else except each other.


	4. Work and Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eames' sister finds out about Jacob, and along with Jacob's sister, they plan a getaway.

Contrary to his father's passive-aggressive allegations, Eames had worked a summer job every year since he was old enough. The next morning, he arrived at his mother's office at the British Museum, clad in brown slacks that perfectly matched the center of the diamond pattern on his vintage 1970s shirt. Within a few minutes, she had ushered him to a worktable where his sister Alice was already seated. "The accessioning checklist is here, and Alice can refresh your memory if there's anything that you don't remember. I won't be able to have lunch with you two today because I have meetings all afternoon." his mother rolled her eyes dramatically. "Please don't leave for the day until you confirm that my brain hasn't leaked out my ears in an effort to escape."

Alice snorted, and Eames smiled. "You got it, Mum."

"You do that, and dinner is on me tonight at a place of Will's choosing."

Within an hour, Eames and Alice had fallen into a steady process, enjoying working in proximity to one another with just a radio playing softly in the background. However, after his mother came by the table to check on them on the way to her marathon agenda of meetings, Alice leaned forward conspiratorially. "Spill."

Eames feigned innocence as he flipped over another page in the accessioning log and verified it matched what was on the computer screen. "Spill what, my dear sister?"

"Oh, come on, Will. You've met someone. You have that walking-on-air, dopey smile on your face, and you've had it since you got back from that research job. Tell your sister everything."

"His name," Eames paused for dramatic effect, "is Jacob. He's sweet and a little shy and beautiful. He has this thick, dark hair and chocolate brown eyes..." He continued at length with a litany of Jacob's most attractive qualities, otherwise known as everything he'd learned about his boyfriend so far.

Alice listened and nodded with a warm smile growing on her face. When her twin finally stopped for breath, she chuckled. "You are head over heels. When do I get to meet him and make sure he's good enough for my favorite brother?"

Eames frowned at her suspiciously. "I'm your only brother."

"Of course. Do you think if I had more than one, my favorite would be the one with such terrible taste in shirts?" she teased playfully.

"What is wrong with my shirt?" He asked. Puffing his chest in mock pride, he informed her. "I will have you know, this is vintage."

"Vintage just means something old with a higher price tag," she retorted. "Though if you dress like that around Jacob, at least we know he's not using you as a trophy boyfriend."

Eames clutched at his heart. "You wound me, darling. Slings and arrows from my own sister!"

Alice rolled her eyes and shook her head and looked at the clock. "Why don't we continue to discuss my disloyalty over our lunch break?"

* * *

It was the happiest summer in Eames' memory. During the week, he worked a few days with his sister and Mum at the Museum, talked and texted with Jacob, dodged his father other than one mandatory meal per week ("I pay for this place, the least you can do is cook for me and be civil once a week", and devoured books. Most Fridays, Jacob's internship was quiet enough that he was out by lunchtime and he could meet up with Eames for an early dinner and then they could visit one of the museums open late that evening. Saturday or Sunday they would take a day trip, sometimes with Alice and Jacob's sister Rachel, and sometimes alone.

It was a lovely Friday night, and the foursome had just left the V&A and stopped for Italian gelato. Alice and Rachel were giggling, their faces so close together their foreheads were almost touching. Across the table, Eames faux-dramatically rolled his eyes at them and addressed Jacob. "Someone forgot to tell us that this was a girls' night." Alice glanced over long enough to make a rude gesture, causing all four of them to laugh. Eames turned to Jacob. "So anything we boys should do?"

Jacob laughed again. "I got a flyer from uni reminding me of the Shakespeare festival, and I was thinking we could take a trip out there next weekend for that."

Eames face lit up. "What are the plays right now?"

" _Hamlet_ , _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ , _Julius Caesar_ , and _The Tempest_."

Eames fell back dramatically with his right hand over his heart. "Those are some of my favorites!"

"I know," Jacob laughed.

"But if we only go for the day, I'll have to choose only one," Eames whined. He was only half-joking. "I don't know that I can."

"Tone it down over there, Laurence Olivier," Alice teased. "You're not actually on stage."

"Wait, I have an idea!" Rachel sounded excited. "We should all go. The four of us. We can split the cost of a hotel suite, and we can see more than one show. If we went out on Friday, we could see shows on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!"

"And Dad won't give you a hard time if you're traveling with me?" Jacob suggested.

"Yeah, that, too," Rachel admitted. "But we can do a bunch of fun stuff if we go for the whole weekend."

"We could go to the Fizwilliam Museum." Alice chimed in, as fond of museums as her brother. "We haven't been in years."

"What else is around there?" Eames mused, mostly to himself. "Ah, yes, we could visit Oliver Cromwell's House and piss on it."

Rachel clearly hadn't anticipated that suggested and let out a bark of laughter. "Yeah, you can't tell that my brother takes pride in our Scottish and Irish heritage at all," Alice stage-whispered to her, resulting in more giggles.

"There's also Ely Cathedral." Jacob pointed out as they tossed their trash into the waste bins. The group continued discussing what they could do in Cambridge the coming weekend.

By the end of the day Monday, the plans were set. All of them were taking Friday off so that they could depart from King's Cross station in the morning. Rachel worked for a vacation booking company, and had managed to snag them a cottage when the planned renters cancelled. Eames could barely sit still for the rest of the week. He was going on a trip with Jacob, and they were going to have a bedroom to themselves for two whole nights.


	5. I See You Shiver with Antici...pation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eames and Jacob are about to spend the night together, but Jacob reveals his lack of experience with relationships, causing Eames some stress.

As they boarded the train at King's Cross Station, Eames, Jacob, Alice, and Rachel were giddy with excitement for their adventure. They had managed to snag a set of facing seats with a table, and all four of them had dopey grins on their faces. "This is going to be amazing!" Alice declared, and she and Rachel collapsed against each other, giggling.

"Ok, we've got to do something other than act like idiots for the next hour plus. Otherwise, the other passengers are going to hate us," Rachel said.

"Cards?" Alice suggested as Eames made a deck appear from inside his light jacket.

"I don't know how to play much, but sure," Jacob agreed, watching with a smile as Eames expertly cut the deck and started to shuffle.

"What do you know how to play, love?" Eames asked.

Jacob's face turned a little pink. "Um...Go Fish. Old Maid...mostly kids' games."

"Me, too," Rachel admitted.

"You're so cute," Eames finished shuffling and gave Jacob a kiss on the cheek. "Ok, you want to learn a partners game or every-man-for-himself?"

"Every-*one*-for-themselves. We needn't be sexist with our fun." Rachel replied, nudging Alice with a smile.

Alice and Eames made eye contact and smiled before she replied, "Then we'll start off with Mum's and Will's favorite, poker. Five card draw."

"Alice, you know I can't play poker without betting," Eames protested with a wink. "And I am sure that I shouldn't take all of Jacob and Rachel's money."

"Mum taught us to play with old pennies," Alice explained, then pulled up her backpack and rummaged around in it, pulling out a large bag of M&Ms. "Well, these were supposed to be emergency provisions, but Will not having anything to bet in poker is clearly an emergency."

Rachel passed out napkins from her messenger bag, Alice distributed the M&Ms, and Eames dealt while explaining the rules of poker.

Almost precisely forty-five minutes later, Rachel gleefully called out. "Ok, show 'em." She plopped her cards down and declared, "Full house!"

"Oh, bollocks!" Alice cried out as she dropped her cards. "I only have a straight."

Eames had a shit-eating grin on his face as he revealed his cards. "As they say, read 'em and weep. Four of a kind."

"You're getting ahead of yourself, William." Jacob warned. "Straight flush." He grinned and popped more M&Ms in his mouth.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me! That's like the 6th bloody hand in a row!" Eames playfully pushed on Jacob's shoulder. "And it would even look like you were winning if you didn't keep eating your chips," he teased, as Jacob ate more M&Ms.

"I value chocolate over victory," Jacob answered before leaning over to give Eames a kiss.

* * *

Rachel unlocked the door to the picturesque little cottage. "Here we are!" She gestured for the rest of them to enter.

"This is really cute, Rach!" Alice declared. The door opened into a living room with overstuffed couches and armchairs decorated in florals that would have been over-the-top in anything but an English cottage. To the right the space changed over to a dining room and kitchen. In the left hand corner of the living room, a narrow set of steps emerged. A hallway disappeared out of sight towards the back of the house approximately the point where the living room became dining room.

"So, the bedroom with two beds is straight back the hallway. Alice and I will take that one. You guys can take the upstairs with the single queen." Rachel winked at Jacob.

"So we'll drop our things, freshen up a bit, and then head for Ely in about..." Alice checked her watch, "a half hour?"

"Sounds good!" Eames answered, eagerly heading up the stairs. At the top of the stairs starting to the left, there was a small bathroom, then a hallway of built-in cabinets, and then the door to the bedroom. Being an attic room, the ceiling sloped in on both sides to a peak. The furniture was all dark woods and deep blues. Pushed against the far wall and centered underneath the peak, there was a big bed covered in a luxuriously soft-looking cobalt blue duvet.

"Are our sisters plotting something?" Jacob asked as he set his bag on the low hardwood bureau.

"I think so, but only in the nicest way," Eames said with a chuckle, dropping his bag on the floor and flopping on the bed. He stretched out on his back and closed his eyes. "Oh, this feels every bit as comfy as it looks," he sighed.

Jacob crawled onto the bed and on top of Eames. His hands cupped Eames' face and they kissed. Jacob's tongue darted into Eames mouth, tentatively, exploring, and his boyfriend responded by wrapping his arms around him, one hand landing on the small of Jacob's back and the other gently cradling the back of his head. Their tongues met and danced as the kiss deepened. Breathless, Jacob drew back and stared into Eames' eyes. One hand moved from cupping Eames' face to brush stray locks off his forehead. "All the blue in this room makes your eyes even more amazing," Jacob whispered.

"You're just fucking beautiful," Eames replied, nipping playfully at Jacob's bottom lip. "How did I get this lucky?'

Jacob's mouth quirked up on one side, mischievous . "You watched me until I couldn't ignore you," the dark-haired man teased. "Do you know how intense your stare is?"

"Tell me. Or better yet, show me." Eames dared him. Jacob didn't say anything in response. Instead, he dipped his head and laid a trail of kisses up Eames' jawline. Eames responded with a hiss of pleasure and his arms tightened around his boyfriend's body. "How is it you know just what to do to make me crazy?"

"I'm just paying attention to you and what you like," Jacob answered simply, nibbling on Eames' ear. "Trust me, there is no plan. I've never done this before."

"Never?" Eames nudged Jacob's head up so they could look into each other's eyes.

"Not unless you count one very unfortunate 'Spin the Bottle' game when I was an exchange student in the States. And, trust me, you should not count it."

A new concern tickled the back of Eames' brain. He was Jacob's first...everything. It was sobering. What if he fucked up? What was Jacob expecting of him? What if Eames did things Jacob didn't like or didn't want to do? Before he could open his mouth, Alice's voice called up the stairs. "Boys! Five minute warning!"

"Damn." Jacob breathed against Eames' neck. "Shall we call this 'to be continued'?" He kissed Eames lightly on the lips before standing up.

Eames was glad that he'd brought a camera to Ely Cathedral, because he was finding it hard to focus on the architecture. He was a strange mixture of excited and nervous about the evening ahead. He and Jacob had yet to do anything more than kiss, and now they were going to have a room to themselves for two whole nights. He felt a sense of responsibility, being the more experienced sexually, and that responsibility was also a weight.

"Hey," Jacob sidled up to Eames, disturbing him from his spiral of thoughts. "Rachel and Alice headed up to the Stained Glass Museum." When Eames didn't answer, Jacob touched his arm. "Are you okay?"

Eames nodded. "Yeah. I was just thinking about...later."

Jacob smiled. "I've been thinking about it a lot, too. I'm really looking forward to spending the night in your arms." He leaned in closer, his voice barely audible. "You look nervous. We don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

Eames eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I thought that was supposed to be my line," he whispered back. But it did release some of the tightness in his chest. He took Jacob's hand, and they walked towards the stairs.


	6. First Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eames and Jacob spend their first night alone.

The foursome picked up takeaway so they could picnic before the performance of _A Midsummer Night's Dream._ Rachel had bagged up not only a picnic blanket, but some pillows and blankets.

Eames was stretched out on his side, propped up on his left arm. Jacob sat in front of him, but leaning back so that his back rested against Eames' waist. Rachel's knees were pulled to her chest, and Alice sat hip to hip next to her with her legs stretched out. They'd finished their food, and were now just enjoying the wine and the company.

"If you're twins, which one of you is older?" Rachel asked.

Alice said, "I think it's clearly me. I'm the responsible sibling."

Eames snorted. "Right. If we're making the judgment call based on responsibility, need I remind you which one of us spent most of her last year of secondary school grounded for sneaking out?"

"One of us was voted 'Class Flirt,' and one of us was voted 'Most Likely to Succeed.' Which one sounds more responsible to you?" Alice retorted.

Rachel looked back and forth between them. "You don't know who's older?"

Alice shook her head. "Mum think it's funny to keep it from us."

"We know we were sixteen minutes apart, but she won't tell us who was born first." Eames shrugged.

"Parents are so weird sometimes," Rachel said, shaking her head, and the whole group agreed.

After a moment, Jacob glanced down at Eames. "Class flirt?" he asked.

"Would you believe it was almost 'Best Dressed'?"

Jacob looked down at Eames' shirt, a vintage button-down with with a blue-toned pattern that looked like scattered postcards from Asia. Khaki pants and a navy jacket rounded out the outfit. "No. No, I would not, my love."

* * *

When they got home from the play, Alice covered a huge, fake yawn. "I'm knackered. I don't know about you guys, but I can't keep my eyes open. Time for bed." Eames and Jacob exchanged glances as the girls giggled on the way to their room.

"Did that seem a little weird to you?" Jacob asked, starting for the steps.

"A little," Eames admitted. As Jacob put his foot on the bottom stair, they both heard a squeal and more giggles.

Jacob paused and looked at Eames. "You don't think our sisters are..."

"I don't want to think about it," Eames cut him off with a laugh.

Jacob grinned and nodded. "Fair point."

While Jacob was in the bathroom, Eames found a radio station playing classical music and turned it on. He adjusted the lights in the room low. He was draping his jacket over a chair when he heard the bedroom door open. He felt Jacob come up behind him, and then arms came around his waist. Jacob kissed the side of Eames' neck and whispered, "turn around." When Eames did, Jacob reached for the top button of his shirt. Eames attempted to help, and Jacob gently pushed his hands away. "No. Let me." Jacob continued undoing the buttons while he leaned forward for a long, lingering kiss. Then Jacob's hands went to Eames' shoulders, and the dress shirt slid down his arms and fluttered to the floor. "You wear too many clothes," Jacob whispered, as he broke the kiss just long enough to pull Eames' undershirt over his head. Jacob's palms drifted down Eames' chest lazily.

"Now you're overdressed, love." Eames' hands picked up the hem of Jacob's polo shirt, and then they were both standing there bare-chested. A cool breeze drifted in the open window, and Jacob shivered. "Are you cold?" Eames whispered, his lips ghosting over Jacob's collarbone. His hands drifted to the button of Jacob's trousers. "Step out of these so we can climb into bed."

They helped one another out of their slacks and socks until they both stood there in boxer shorts. They were the same height, but Eames was broad-shouldered and bulkier where Jacob was slender and wiry. They stood frozen in the moment, drinking in their first glimpses at each other's mostly unclothed bodies. Then Eames closed the distance, groaning "God, you're beautiful," as his lips crushed into Jacob's. The force of Eames' body pushed Jacob's back into the bed, and then they were on the bed, devouring each other's lips and running their hands over the one another's skin. They rolled back and forth, trading control over the speed and passion of the kisses until Eames found his hips pinned to the mattress by Jacob's powerful legs. Eames rolled his hips to dislodge his boyfriend, and Jacob just chuckled as he kept him pinned.

"I think football has given me the upper hand here." Jacob smiled. Then he put his lips next to Eames' ear and whispered,. "I want you here so I can kiss you all over, Will. Let me taste you." Eames had his left arm up with his hand just above his head on the pillow, but he reached his right hand up to caress Jacob's face. Jacobs paused licking and teasing on his neck just long enough to mutter, "Unh-uh. I want you to focus on what I'm doing," and move Eames' right hand up and over his left. Eames playfully pushed back, just a little, and Jacob pressed his wrists further above his head. Eames responded with a delicious shiver and a moan. "Oh, you like that, don't you?" Jacob breathed as he tightened his grip on his boyfriend's wrists and was rewarded with another gasp of pleasure. He picked up Eames' left wrist and flicked his tongue across the underside, listening to Eames' breathing become more ragged. Jacob's mouth and tongue tracked their way languidly down Eames' arm and then down his side, kissing and licking and nipping his skin, given extra attention to the places that caused Eames to writhe and murmur his name. He repeated the journey in reverse on the other side, relishing the sound of his name on Eames' lips.

As Jacob released his rigth wrist after one more teasing kiss, Eames brought his hands up to the other man's narrow shoulders and pulled him down into a blistering, passionate kiss. Coming up for air, Eames rolled the two of them onto their sides. "It's my turn now, and I want to try something different." Eames sat up, his back against the headboard, and guided Jacob to sit astride his hips, both of them groaning as the bulges in their boxer shorts rubbed against one another. "Now you put your hands behind your back so I can explore you," he instructed. Jacob complied, and Eames buried his face in the crook of Jacob's neck. While Eames' hands traced feather-light touches down Jacob's chest, Eames' teeth and tongue placed and soothed little love bites across the smaller man's neck. Jacob was less vocal than Eames, but his boyfriend could gauge the affect of his ministrations on the way Jacob's breath hitched each time Eames sucked on a particularly sensitive spot. He lingered on those places, licking them harder as Jacob's breaths grew more ragged in his ear. He dragged his fingernails along Jacob's flat belly and then dropped his mouth to Jacob's nipple. As Eames took it between his teeth, Jacob stiffened like he had been hit by lightning, and then a tiny moan escaped his lips and his hips ground harder against Eames' pelvis. When Eames moved to the other nipple, Jacob gasped out, "If you keep that up, I'm going to come."

"Good," Eames said into Jacob's skin, and attacked with his teeth and tongue.

"Oh, God, Will," Jacob groaned. "I'm so close." Suddenly, their movements were frenetic, Eames' moved his large hands to Jacob's hips, pulling him down to increase the friction between them while simultaneously thrusting his hips upward. Eames released Jacob's nipple to devour his mouth in a searing kiss, and Jacob's arms went around Eames' torso. Jacob's nails scratched down his boyfriend's back, and the two ground their pelvises together desperately. Jacob panted into Eames' mouth and then he shuddered, vocalizing breathy "oh"s, pulling Eames over the edge with him.

They held one another, blissfully exhausted, until Jacob kissed Eames sweetly and got up. Retrieving a handtowel from the stack of linens on the dresser, he cleaned himself and than passed it to Eames. He returned to the bed after turning off the lights, and curled up on his wide to look at Eames. The moonlight coming in through the window provided just enough light for them to see one another. They smiled at each other and basked in the afterglow.

Eames reached over and traced Jacob's jaw with gentle fingertips. "You said you'd never done anything before. I just want to make sure this was good. And we're good."

Jacob turned his face into Eames' hand and kissed his fingertips. "I am so much better than good right now. It was even better than I'd imagined."

"So my plan to ruin you for anyone else is on track?" Eames teased, leaning over to kiss the tip of Jacob's nose.

"I hope your plan was to make me fall in love with you," Jacob said as he snuggled up to Eames' chest, "because it's working."

Eames stroked Jacob's thick, dark hair and whispered back. "I've already completely fallen for you, pet."


	7. More than Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late night confessions while Eames and Jacob are in bed

Eames awoke when the skies opened in a downpour, but the room was still dark. It took him a moment to remember where he was. He lay on his side, with Jacob's back flush against him. Their right hands were clasped and pulled tight to Jacob's chest. Eames inclined his head forward and inhaled the scent of Jacob's hair. He thought of how wonderful it had been to watch the play the previous evening together, leaning back on a stack of pillows and holding hands. Jacob didn't have any particular affinity for Shakespeare, but he had suggested this trip and was here because Eames loved Shakespeare, and Eames was so in awe of that fact that he didn't know how to articulate how he felt. His heart swelling with affection, Eames pressed his lips to onto his boyfriend's bare shoulder.

Jacob stirred at the kiss. "Are you awake, Will?" he asked sleepily.

"Yes." Eames continued with his gentle kisses, and Jacob arched into them.

"Mmmm...that feels good. You know it's some stupid time of morning, right?"

"I do, my sweet. I'm just thinking."

Jacob moved so that he was lying on his back and could make out the contours of Eames' face in the dim light. "Penny for your thoughts?" he asked.

"I was thinking about how you suggested this trip. And I just – I mean, when I was in grammar school, I didn't know to keep my interests to myself. Once my classmates found out that I liked museums and libraries and theater and poetry and reading and all that stuff, they picked on me a lot. When Alice and I got to secondary school, I learned to downplay things and not get too excited and I got on better." Eames paused, composing his thoughts. "But when I'm with you, it's different. I mean, you're a British citizen, so I think you're contractually obligated to be familiar with Shakespeare, but I know you don't love it like I do, but you came here with -" Eames rambled.

Jacob lifted a finger to his boyfriend's lips. "I'm here with you because it makes you happy."

"It just feels so...weird."

"What does?"

Eames struggled to find the words. "No one's ever cared this much about what I liked and what I wanted. Mum and Alice aside, of course. Most people don't even bother to ask."

Jacob reached up and ran his fingers through Eames' hair. "I care. I want to know what makes you happy, right now, just as you are. I like that you know every piece in the medieval collection at the V&A. I like that you can quote Shakespeare the way other people quote movies and TV. I like to see your eyes light up and hear you get excited when you tell me about the big book you're reading or the vintage shirt you just found. I like all those things and more because they're what make you William, and I feel really lucky that you share them with me."

"Nobody's ever said anything like that to me before," Eames whispered, overwhelmed. He was glad it was dark, so that Jacob couldn't see that he was crying.

"Then nobody's ever been worthy of you." Despite the dark, Jacob somehow did know, and he gently wiped away Eames' tears. "You're special. You're passionate and smart and funny, and you make me feel amazing. You're always checking in with me to see how I'm feeling and you would bend over backwards to give me whatever I ask for. You make me so happy that sometimes, I can't help but laugh because I can't contain all my joy inside."

Eames felt more tears slide down his cheeks in response, and then Jacob was kissing his closed eyes and then his damp cheeks. Finally, Eames confessed, "You make me so happy, but I don't always know what to say. Words are hard sometimes."

Jacob kissed Eames' lips then, gentle and sweet and slow. "I know. Don't worry too much about the words, just hold me." Giving Eames one more kiss, Jacob rolled back on his side. Eames curled his body around Jacob's, and they entwined the fingers of their right hands. Jacob kissed their joined hands and then brought them to rest over his heart.

Eames remembered a quote from the play the night before and whispered, "For you, in my respect, are all the world. Then how can it be said I am alone, When all the world is here to look on me?"

Jacob responded with another squeeze of Eames' hand. "I love you, too, Will," he replied.


	8. Fluff and Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Super fluffy chapter - Eames' and Jacob's relationship deepens. Eames may not be able to say the words, "I love you," but Jacob is the man of his dreams.

The next time Eames woke up, the sunlight was streaming in the windows, and he pulled the blanket up to shield his eyes. "Come on, sleepy head," he heard Jacob say.

"Unh-uh. Don't wanna," Eames grunted back, feeling suddenly playful. He was remembering lazy weekend mornings with Alice and his Mum when he and Alice were young, and wondered if he could find that happy silliness with Jacob. He felt the mattress sink down as his boyfriend, fully showered and dressed, crawled onto the bed. Jacob lifted the blanket off Eames' face, and that's when Eames grabbed him in a bear hug and rolled Jacob onto his back. Covering Jacob's body with his own, Eames yanked the covers back over the two of them. He burrowed his head under into the crook of Jacob's neck and began emitting loud fake snores. His heart sang when Jacob giggled at his antics.

"Hey, none of that!" Jacob laughed. "It's time to get up."

"Shhh! Pillows don't talk," Eames teased, and Jacob rewarded him with another ripple of happy laughter.

"I'm not a pillow! I'm your boyfriend!" Jacob protested with a giant smile.

Eames raised his head and pretended to be confused. "Ohhhhhh, right... sorry, easy mistake to make when you're so nice to cuddle with. But I'm going to need to verify you're not just a talking pillow."

Jacob knew Eames was up to something but he wasn't sure what. "How do you verify that?" he asked suspiciously, trying to look stern but failing miserably.

Rather than answering, Eames dropped his head again and began licking and nipping the sensitive skin of Jacob's neck. "Oh, Will," Jacob breathed.

After dragging a few more breathy moans from Jacob, Eames raised his head again. "Ok, pillows don't wiggle like that. I guess you are my boyfriend."

"Maybe you should double-check, just to be sure." Jacob suggested, eyes twinkling. They both laughed as Eames crawled forward to kiss Jacob on the lips. Eames had never felt such a stirring mixture of joy, comfort, and desire all at once.

Rachel's voice carried up the stairs. "Jacob! I thought you were going to wake Will and be back down to help me make breakfast!"

"Oops," Jacob whispered to Eames, sending them both into more laughter. "Be right down, Rachel!"

* * *

In the late afternoon, after a trip to the Fitzwilliam Museum, Jacob and Eames decided to take a walk around Cambridge, while Alice and Rachel returned to the cottage to nap. "I know we'll be here later this evening in the gardens for the play, but I want to show you my college," Jacob said. "I think I'll be able to get us in so you can see the chapel without a formal tour."

Eames smiled at him and put his hand in Jacob's. "I would love to see everything you want to show me." They walked, reveling in one another's company. Jacob did, in fact, manage to get them inside the chapel. He pointed out where his room was, where he practiced football, and some of his favorite buildings. The entire time, he told Eames stories about his time at university. Eames soaked up the stories, the smiles, and just Jacob's presence. They finally ended up where the colleges backed up against the River Cam and decided to sit and watch people go by.

"The Backs is one of my favorite places," Jacob said.

"I can see why," Eames replied. Jacob was sitting on the grassy embankment between the walking path and the River Cam. Eames was stretched out in front of him, his head cradled in Jacob's lap. "It's beautiful here."

Jacob played with Eames' brown hair. "I have to start deciding where I'm going to after I finish my degree this coming year. I think I'm going to continue right on to a Ph.D. The more I study, the more certain I am that I want to be a clinical psychologist rather than something like forensics or education."

"When did you decide to study psychology?" Eames asked.

"I didn't right away but I got interested in medicine young. My mother says that when I was little, I used to steal my eldest brother's old pharmacy coats and pretend that I was a doctor. She got me one of those doctor playsets when I was young and I would carry my little doctor's bag everywhere like some other kids carry around a teddy bear. I had a very thriving stuffie repair practice." They both chuckled. "Mom liked that she didn't have repair our stuffies any more – I was more than willing to do so under the guise of giving the toys stitches. She was sure I was going to go to school for medicine, whether it was for people or animals. It wasn't until I was fifteen or sixteen and started reading about psychology that I decided I wanted to be a psychologist instead of a physician."

"You're going to be a great psychologist. You're warm and open, and you really listen." Eames gazed up to see that Jacob's lips had curved into a pleased smile and a slight blush had reddened his cheeks.

"Flirting, Will? Or is it flattery?"

"Maybe both. Is it working?" Eames grinned up at him.

Jacob fake-sighed. "Yes, but you knew that before you asked. What about you? What did you want to be when you grew up?" Jacob asked.

"James Bond," Eames answered immediately.

"I am Jacob's total lack of surprise at that answer," his boyfriend said with a laugh.

"No, really. When they asked what we wanted to be when we grew up in primary school, that's what I said. I wanted to be James Bond. After I said this a few times, one of my teachers said something to my father, and I got scolded for 'not taking things seriously.' After that, I started saying I wanted to be an actor. He still disapproved, but it was at least an actual profession." Eames chuckled, and Jacob couldn't help but join in. "I even looked at drama schools, but a degree in Archaeology and Anthropology feels like I'm proving I can do something my father has said I never could. He thinks my dyslexia means I'm stupid." Eames' voice became bitter for a split second, and Jacob squeezed his shoulder.

"You know he's wrong. What are you going to do after you finish your degree?"

Eames shrugged as best as he could in his position. "Probably get a museum job."

"Anywhere in particular you're hoping for?" Jacob asked, scanning Eames' face intently.

"There are a lot of museums in the UK..." Eames trailed off before taking the risk with his next statement. "I'm sure I could find one near whatever postgraduate psychology program someone special was attending." He looked up at Jacob to gauge his reaction to the suggestion, and found his boyfriend beaming.

"You'd go wherever I go?"

"If you'll have me. I know we haven't been together long, but this feels right."

"It does," Jacob agreed.


	9. A Second Night of Bliss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eames and Jacob enjoy their second night in Cambridge.

The curtains were drawn on the cottage when Eames and Jacob returned, but they heard the murmur of voices. "I think the TV's on," Eames said. He turned the doorknob and opened the door, wondering what the girls could be watching that had so much moaning. Porn seemed unlikely at this hour. He heard movement and whispered cursing, and held up his finger for Jacob to wait a moment. Peeking around the door, Eames saw his sister hastily pulling her shirt on and Rachel scurrying for the back bedroom, her arms crossed over her bare chest.

"Could you give us two seconds of bloody privacy, William?" Alice demanded. He obediently stepped back outside and pulled the door closed.

"What was that?" Jacob asked.

"You remember Friday when you asked if something was going on between your sister and mine?" Jacob nodded, already starting to shake his head and snicker. "You win the prize, pet."

"Well," Jacob said lightly. "That answers a few questions that have been in the back of my mind about Rachel."

"You didn't know if she liked girls?"

"I suspected, but we hadn't talked about it specifically. I only came out to her once she visited me at uni. Neither of us have had any real relationships until now, and it's not really something we can talk about at home."

Alice opened the door, her clothing properly arranged, but her hair was mussed. Her cheeks flamed as Jacob came in, and then she looked at her brother and threatened, "Don't."

"Alice, dear, if you're happy, I'm happy for you," Eames said, leaning over to kiss her forehead. "I will return you to your regularly scheduled teasing when you aren't already blushing all the way to your toes. Meet back down here in a few minutes to figure out dinner?"

* * *

"You know that Will played Ariel last summer?" Alice asked Jacob as they spread out the picnic blanket.

"I did not," Jacob replied.

"It was a perfect part for him. They made him these special black feathered wings. He got to strut around the stage being grandiose and chewing on all the scenery. Will loves that sort of thing," Alice said, and they both giggled.

"I know," Jacob agreed.

"Do I hear my name being taken in vain?" Eames asked as he and Rachel carried the takeaway food up.

"Never!" Alice insisted. "I'm just making certain Jacob knows what a drama queen you are."

"I think he knows." Eames said back.

Jacob came up behind Eames and wrapped his arms around his waist. "Oh, he does know." He kissed the side of Eames' neck. "And he loves him anyway."

Alice rolled her eyes and said, "Ugh, get a room!"

"That is my line," Eames said softly, with a wicked glean in his eye, and Alice turned red.

"Are you picking on my girlfriend?" Rachel asked softly, taking Alice's hand in hers. Eames watched his sister's blush grow deeper at the word.

"Come now, Rachel dear, she's my twin sister. It's my job." Alice and Eames shared a smile.

"It's ok, Rach. I know where he sleeps."

The foursome settled onto the blanket to enjoy the takeout and the show. It was a chillier evening, and they ended up cuddling under blankets to keep warm. Eames, of course, knew every word of _The Tempest_. When the actor playing Ferdinand said, ""Hear my soul speak: The very instant that I saw you did, My heart fly to your service," Eames whispered it into Jacob's ear. He was rewarded with a kiss from Jacob.

* * *

Eames emerged from the shower and walked back into the bedroom with a towel around his waist. Jacob had turned off most of the lights and was already lying on the bed under the sheet. Eames reached for his boxer shorts in his bag but Jacob's voice reached his ears. "Don't bother. Just come to bed."

Jacob flipped the sheet back to invite Eames under it, revealing that he was completely naked. Eames paused, his eyes devouring his boyfriend's lithe body. In the dim light, Jacob's olive skin glowed, and his eyes were positively smoldering as he pushed his dark hair back with his free hand. Seeing the awed look in Eames' eyes, Jacob broke the reverie by speaking. "Drop the towel and get under these sheets." Eames obeyed, the white terrycloth falling to the floor, and Jacob pulled him into lingering kiss.

"Wait," Eames broke the kiss. "How far do you want to go tonight?"

Jacob smiled at him. "You're overthinking again. I don't know, but I want to have fun. How far do _you_ want to go?"

"I don't know, either," Eames admitted.

Jacob chuckled. "I have an idea. Like I said, I want to have fun...and enjoy you. I want to explore your body and make you feel good. Did you like last night?"

"I think you know I did," Eames grinned at him.

"If we want to do more than what we did last night, we check in with each other? And if one of us wants to slow down or stop, we just have to say so."

"I like that idea."

Jacob took control, and his hands roamed all over Eames' body. He tried out feather-light touches, light scratches, and gentle massage. He followed with his mouth and experimenting with licks, love bites, and kisses with Eames emitting soft moans and gasps of pleasure. He worked his way down from Eames' neck to his nipples and then his torso. While Eames watched in blissful anticipation, Jacob worked his way down Eames' hip and then to his upper thigh, just skirting his pubic hair. He slithered further down Eames body, resting between his legs, and then began kissing the inside of his boyfriend's thighs.

"Oh, fuck, Jacob..." Eames moaned. "Please...more. Please."

Jacob relished how vocal Eames was. "I love to take your breath away. You sound so sexy."

"Tease," Eames accused breathily. Jacob chuckled in response as he resumed his ministrations, and the vibration made his kiss even more erotic.

"Will," Jacob whispered. "Can I take you in my mouth?"

"Oh, God, yes."

Jacob grasped the base of Eames' penis with his left hand to control it. Experimentally, he reached out his tongue and licked his boyfriend's length. Eames rewarded him with another moan. Gaining confidence, Jacob tongued his length, varying speed and pressure based on Eames' noises. Eames' hands grasped involuntarily at the sheets, and Jacob finally took the tip of his penis between his lips. Studying Eames' reactions, he alternated between licking and sucking his boyfriend. Eames' breathy moans had lost any resemblance to coherent speech as he let go of the sheets and moved his hands to cup Jacob's head. Jacob made out, "yes...please..going to...," and then Eames came, still in his mouth. When Eames shuddering breaths slowed, Jacob released him from his lips and then crawled up so they could kiss.

Eames was in a blissful haze when Jacob asked, "You liked that?"

Still a little breathless, his boyfriend said, "That is the understatement of the bloody century, love." He clutched Jacob close. "How do you do that?"

"Well, it's very simple." Jacob brought Eames' hand to his lips. "I just take you and..." He sucked one of Eames' fingers into his mouth.

"Not that, silly," Eames laughed softly. "How do you know what will drive me crazy?"

"You ask too many questions," Jacob scolded mildly. "I told you, I pay attention to you." He began to kiss Eames' neck. In between kisses, he whispered and demonstrated. "I see what makes you squirm...and gasp...and moan...and call out my name." He returned to Eames' lips.

"You make it seem so effortless. I just...don't want to disappoint you." Eames admitted.

"Hey," Jacob's voice was serious as he pulled back. "Look at me." When they were both staring into one another's eyes, Jacob said. "You couldn't disappoint me. Neither of us has a lot of experience with this, and that's okay. It's not always going to be perfect, but there's no one else I want to learn with."

"You always know what to say," Eames marveled. "And all I do is borrow other people's words."

"But they don't make my heart sing when other people say them. What was that line from tonight?"

Eames reached up and ran his fingers through Jacob's hair before laying his hand against his cheek. "Hear my soul speak: The very instant that I saw you did, My heart fly to your service…"

"That's the one. So much better to hear in your voice." Jacob kissed Eames gently.

"Will you let me try?" Eames asked.

"Try what?"

"Taking you in my mouth. And paying attention to your responses."

Jacob's heart skipped a beat. "Of course."

Eames rolled Jacob onto his back and crouched above him on all fours. Starting at Jacob's sternum, he dragged a line of kisses down his body. His hands were on Jacob's side, and he felt how his boyfriend pushed up into his kisses. As he moved his mouth over Jacob's belly, he felt him tremble in excitement and anticipation. He splayed his hands on Jacob's stomach to experience more of the sensations.

If Jacob had taken his time giving his first blowjob, Eames jumped in with both feet. He placed his left hand on Jacob's hip and then engulfed him in his mouth. Jacob responded with an excited gasp and his hips jerked up. Eames gently but firmly pushed his hip back down. He grasped Jacob's member with his right hand and began to slide his hand up and down in front of his mouth. He listened to Jacob's soft, huffing breaths and occasional murmurs of pleasure. He kept pumping with his hand as he stopped moving his mouth and instead swirled his tongue over and around. Jacob's orgasm came so suddenly it caught them both by surprise, but Eames determinedly kept his boyfriend in his mouth until Jacob, panting and sweating, pulled on his shoulders. Eames slithered up Jacob's body and they kissed.

"Good?" Eames asked.

"Amazing," Jacob assured him, petting his hair. Eames rested his head on Jacob's chest, listening to the slowing beat of his beloved's heart. They drifted off to sleep like that.


End file.
